The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the government to explain why the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has been lying defunct for the last two years.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia observed that DCW performs crucial functions related to safety and legal rights of women, and “there cannot be any reason whatsoever for not filling up the vacancies of members and chairperson” in the Commission. Therefore, the Court directed the Delhi government’s Standing Counsel, Sameer Vashisht, to obtain instructions on the matter.
“Let instructions be sought by the counsel appearing for GNCTD (Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi) as to what steps have been taken by the authorities concerned to fill up the vacancies and what steps are being taken to ensure that the commission does not close down,” the Court ordered.
The matter will be heard next after two weeks. The High Court was dealing with a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Member of Parliament (MP) Sudhakar Singh. Advocate Satyam Singha appeared for the petitioner and stated that the Commission had not been functioning since January 2024. He added that the DCW office has been closed and staff members have also been removed.
After hearing the case, the High Court asked the government counsel to obtain instructions. As of February 18, 2026, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) is reportedly non-functional and closed since January 2024 due to vacancies in the chairperson and member positions. The Delhi High Court has flagged this "institutional paralysis", demanding that the city government explain the delay in appointments and the closure of key services like the 181 helpline.
The commission has not been functioning, with no staff or officers available to hear complaints since January 2024, leading to the collapse of services like the Rape Crisis Cell and family counseling units.
The Delhi government has been asked to provide an explanation regarding the steps taken to fill these vacancies by February 25, 2026. The closure has halted crucial support systems for women in distress, despite the continued high rate of crimes against women in the city.
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